Confronting the Past

I was always different from other children my age.

As a child, I was clumsy. Morbidly clumsy. Everything I did turned out wrong.

I grew up with my grandmother, not my mum and dad. I didn't really have friends, and generally tried to keep to myself. I was about six when I discovered that my family wasn't normal. I recall that a boy from primary school had been over my house, and he'd asked where my parents were.

That probed me to ask Grandmother about my parents. She was a bit hesitant to answer, but she did, after consulting Great Uncle Algie, her brother. She told me everything that I was able to handle, about how the Death Eaters had performed the Cruciatus curse on them, about how they were at St. Mungo's.

I remember the first time I saw my parents. I was seven, and eager to meet my mum and dad for the first time. Grandmother wearily walked up the stairs, while I skipped. I recall that I was smiling uncontrollably...or until I tripped and fell halfway down the flight of stairs.

Anyways, when we'd finally gotten into their room... it was horrible. Their faces grinned eerily. They acted as if they were my age...they didn't even know who I was.

I backed away, and out of the room. I tripped over my shoelaces, pivoted, and continued to run down the hallway. Sliding down against a wall, I cried, until Gran patted my shoulder, pulled me up, and brought me home. She knew how disappointed I was, how sad I was to have a mum and dad like…mine.

I visited my parents once a month until I entered Hogwarts.

My family thought I was a Squib, hat I wasn't going to be accepted into Hogwarts until Great Uncle Algie dropped me from the tower and I bounced off the ground.

Gran wasn't so sure that I'd get in, but when I did, she was ecstatic.

"Neville...your mum and dad would have been so proud of you, so proud..." she repeated over and over, crying tears of joy.

Of course, after that I tripped over Apollo, Great Uncle Algie's cat, skidded down the hallway, and into a portrait of my Great Uncle Algie and Great Aunt Enid.

Hogwarts was wonderful. Nobody knew about my parents, and I had friends; Seamus, Dean, Harry, Hermione, and Ron...Whereas, before, I had none. During fifth year, I even had a girlfriend; Ginny Weasley, Ron's sister. It was seventh heaven, pure bliss.

I was still clumsy, and not the smartest student. However, the boys in my dorm became my comrades, making sure that Draco Malfoy did not pick on me, and that I didn't kill myself by making mistakes. The sole exception was in our first flying lesson, where my broom took off, and Madame Hooch ended up taking me down to Madame Pomfrey in the hospital wing.

After Hogwarts, things were relatively the same. I became a professor at Hogwarts. I taught Herbology, my best subject. This brought me into close contact with my future fiancée, Mandy Brocklehurst, who taught Astronomy. Mandy was in my year, but she had been a Ravenclaw.

All was well, until Death Eaters tortured Mandy to death with the Cruciatus curse, the same curse that had left my family life in the state that it was. I was thrown into a deep depression, and once or twice, attempted to commit suicide. I didn't, because I thought of the effect that it would have on Gran. I loved Gran, ever so much. Gran lost her only son to the Dark Lord...and if I was to die...she would be devastated.

Eventually, I got over Mandy's death. I re-met, and married Ginny Weasley, my friend Ron's little sister. We had three children, my son Carter, and my daughters, Bryn and Candace, better known as Candy. ---------------------------- I'm sitting on an easy-chair in my living room. I'm fifty-nine years old. Bryn and Carter's children, my grandchildren are visiting. My oldest granddaughter, Callista, and her younger brother Brennan are scrapping on the floor.

The whole room is lively, and Candace and her daughter Brooklyn, have just arrived, through the fireplace, of course. Candace is bearing tons of presents, too many for her to carry.

My son brings in a birthday cake with sixty burning candles. Ginny is smiling widely, our grandson Byron sitting on her lap.

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I pucker up my lips to blow, but Brennan and Byron are too fast for me. They blow out all sixty candles at one time, laughing.

"Granddad, make a wish!"

"C'mon Dad!"

"Hurry it up! I want to eat!"

"Granddad.... Hurry…"

I smile, amidst the complaints, and close my eyes . It took me less than a minute to decide what I wanted. ********************************************************* I know I'm dying. I can barely breathe. The mediwizards say I have a Muggle disease…they call it cancer. Not even the great Hermione Granger has been able to save me.

Ginny is at my side, has been throughout this whole ordeal. The children and their children gaze apprehensively at me, trying to see if I'm fine or not. They know the truth too, but they're trying not to give up hope too soon.

I only have a few minutes left. The pain has become excruciating. I can't bear this pain any more.I part my lips to speak.

"I...love...you."

Those were my last words.

I hope that my wish will come true.

I wish that my family will stay strong.